


Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread

by ShanleenKinnJaskey



Series: author's favorites [19]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Drarry, Endgame Framione, Evil Dumbledore, F/M, Ginny Bashing, Goblet of Fire AU, Gray Harry, M/M, Manipulative Dumbledore, Ron Weasley Bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-22 13:30:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3730705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShanleenKinnJaskey/pseuds/ShanleenKinnJaskey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is no Voldemort. Ever since Dumbledore felt the energy of a great wizard being born he has plotted to keep Harry controlled and confined,  his magic suppressed. He put Harry with abusive relatives to break his spirit and came up with a series of tasks to keep him distracted. I mean, hiding a stone in a mirror? A man with a face attached to the back of his head, kept alive with unicorn's blood?<br/>But when Dumbledore's plans start to fall apart in Harry's fourth year, he'll do anything to keep Harry contained.<br/>Anything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Oakstone730](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oakstone730/gifts), [Herald_of_Dreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herald_of_Dreams/gifts), [MinaAndChao](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinaAndChao/gifts), [KillerInADress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillerInADress/gifts).



_"Now in this twilight, how dare you speak of grace_

_So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down_

_I'll never wear your broken crown_

_I can take the road and I can fuck it all away_

_But in this twilight, our choices seal our fate..."_

_-Mumford and Sons_ , Broken Crown

As soon as Harry got beneath the water he transformed. The look of confusion slid off his face and was replaced with a look of determination. He stuck out his wand behind him and created a rocket-like propulsion that jetted him through the water.

It was going to get him to his destination quickly, but he still had time to think. It was obviously going to be Ron down there, even though his ex-friend was the last person he cared to see at the moment. Ever since he'd found out that Ron was just hanging out with him for his fame he'd spent every moment trying to avoid him. He'd rather spend time with Hermione, the twins, Cedric, and Draco than Ron and Ginny, who was just as bad.

But that wouldn't have been that bad if it wasn't for what Harry had learned about Dumbledore- how he'd been tricking the entire Wizarding World into believing in the existence of Voldemort, who Draco and Harry had discovered had died years before he ever could have killed Harry's parents. Dumbledore had been keeping the Wizarding World under a mass delusion, in which Dumbledore was a heroic leader of the light and not a manipulative bastard who controlled both the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix. He had painted Harry as the Boy Who Lived, a boy who had survived Voldemort's Avada Kedavra by force of his mother's love, was a devoted Gryffindor, hated purebloods, was best friends with a blood-traitor and a muggle born, was undeniably straight, and had defeated Voldemort's plans multiple times over the course of his first three years at Hogwarts.

But in reality, only a few of those things were true. Harry wasn't exactly sure how Voldemort had been faked, but he knew that he hadn't existed to try and kill him as a baby, and Harry also knew that he was far more powerful than Dumbledore had told everyone else he was. It had taken all of his friends' help- Cedric, Hermione, the twins, and Draco- but he'd finally freed himself of the magical suppressors that had been used on him as a baby.

To keep the illusion going, Harry felt like Dumbledore was going to put Ron down there as 'the thing he'd miss most', even though Harry could care less about his backstabbing, fame-seeking ex-friend. If he emerged from the water with Ron Weasley at his side, then everyone would think them best friends again.

He finally reached the ruins of an old castle.  He stopped in front of the entranceway and looked ahead, where he found three people floating in the middle of the water, breathing softly and tied to the ground with a strip of seaweed around their right feet. There was a small girl with long blond hair (obviously Fleur's hostage), George Weasley (Cedric's boyfriend, so obviously his), and Hermione (Viktor Krum's), but there was someone missing- Harry's hostage. Where was Ron?

Despite himself, worry filtered into Harry's mind. Even though Ron was a idiot bigot, he wasn't evil. Harry's moral instincts kicked in. What had Dumbledore done to him?

He swam forward, slowly jetting himself through the ruins. He peered into hallways as he went past, checking for Ron. Nothing, nothing, nothing, pale skin streaked in blood red, nothing again- wait, what?

Harry turned back to the corridor he'd spotted something in and froze at what he saw. He gasped. There was Draco, arms outstretched and grey eyes closed, with words carved into his right arm, the blood red letters bold against his pale skin:

**I'M WATCHING YOU.**

Anger surged in Harry's veins, blocking out his surprise and any sort of fear the message was supposed to inspire in him. How _dare_ Dumbledore do this?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As much as I love the Queen, good old J.K., some things do not make as much sense when you really look at them, so at the beginning of each chapter (if one is applicable) I will be giving you the plot point which I am rewriting in the chapter.
> 
> First bone to pick with J.K.(correct me if I'm wrong):  
> How does the Wizarding World know that Voldemort has been defeated? Who tells them?
> 
> Also, an entire day passes after Harry defeats Voldemort. What happens to Harry between the time that he kills Voldemort (which must have happened in the early morning/ night if it has been celebrated all day long) and the evening in which he is dropped off at the Dursleys?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short- I was sick for most of the week. Future chapters shall be far longer as I will spend a lot more time writing them.
> 
> Also, though I will rewrite most of years 1, 2, and 3 (to support the whole 'Dumbledore's been faking everything' plotline), the scene where Hagrid drops of Harry and Dumbledore has his conversation with McGonagall in the first chapter of the first book will remain untouched. J. K. could not have written better dialogue. Go back and reread it with the following scene in mind- some of Dumbledore's comments take on a whole new meaning.

_"Is there a heaven a hell and will I come back_

_Who can tell_

_Now I can see what matters to me_

_It's as clear as crystal_

_The places I've been, the people I've seen_

_Plans that I made start to fade_

_The sun's setting gold_

_Thought I would grow old,_

_It wasn't to be..."_

_-Jem_ , 24

 

Lily Evans-Potter knew she was about to die, and she knew who was going to commit the deed. The memory charms have been let down, and the full horror of the past few years working in the Order of Phoenix- and the terrible truth about their leader- hit her full in the face.

She heard screams from downstairs as she hurriedly put Harry in his crib, tucking him amongst stuffed animals and blankets. "No, please, stop!" Her husband's voice shouted, full of uncharacteristic terror, and to her horror she heard the rasping sound of the Avada Kedavra. His screams stopped and a haunting thump was heard, which she could only assume was his dead body hitting the ground.

The sound of soft footsteps on the stairs echoed through Harry's small nursery, and as the baby turns wide innocent green eyes- the exact color of the Avada Kedavra beam, Lily realized with a start- to her she leaned down so they were locking eyes, her hands trembling, and whispered, "I love you, Harry. Always remember that. You will survive, I just know it." Suddenly her eyes became hard as steel, her voice flint that would ignite a fire in her son, "Bring him down for me, okay baby? **Destroy Albus Dumbledore**."

Then a voice behind her whispered, "Avada Kedavra," and the curse hit her flat in the center of her back. She fell to the ground in front of Harry, her eyes empty of soul or life, and a white-haired wizard marched forward, a sneer of triumph crossing his face.

"Avada Kedavra!" He flings the spell at the infant, but a glowing shield forms around Harry and it absorbs the blast. Nothing happens to the baby- he merely continues to stare at the frowning wizard.

"That should have done it," the old wizard mutters, shock evident in his voice. After a moment of obvious thinking, a scowl transforms his face and he flicks his wand again. "Inferiore magia," he says, and suddenly a lightning bolt sears itself into the baby's head. The baby falls back on the bed, asleep. The only thing he shall remember of this night is a flash of green light.

The old wizard sneers as he looks down at the body of the sleeping baby. This shall work with his plans very well. The name of Voldemort shall come in handy again, but this time as the name of a defeated foerather than a fearful enemy. This baby shall be molded into a beacon of hope. That way Dumbledore will be able to keep the child close to his side where he can be watched- and then at the right time he shall be sent into battle and shall die heroically. 

But until then, Dumbledore will send him off to an abusive family in order to crush his spirit, to make him a malleable boy who will come looking for kind people in his life at Hogwarts. He'd heard that Lily's sister's family was among the worst sort of muggles imaginable- that's where he'd send the child,  under the guise of blood shields.

He pressed his wand into his right wrist, searing a wave of fresh, wonderful pain into the symbol of the Phoenix. It mirrored the dark snake/skull pattern on his left arm, the dark one that connected him to the Death Eaters. This one, the Phoenix Mark, connected him to the Order of the Phoenix. He sent a message to Hagrid, drawing him in to pick of the baby.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore cast a quick shape-changing spell, transforming himself into a much younger, brunette wizard in violet robes. He had a few rumors to spread before meeting up with Professor McGonagall, who he'd already messaged to monitor the Dursleys for the day- the Wizarding World would soon know of Harry Potter and his glorious defeat of Voldemort. 


	3. Affectus Abscondere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, let's just go over something before this chapter starts. I love Ron, I love Ginny, and I love Dumbledore, trust me, it's just that it's so much fun to see how far I can push their characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Affectus abscondere- Hide emotion

_"No one ever listens, this wallpaper glistens_

_Don't let them see what goes down in the kitchen._

_Places, places, get in your places_

_Throw on your dress and put on your doll faces._

_Everyone thinks that we're perfect_

_Please don't let them look through the curtains..."_

_-Melanie Martinez_ , Dollhouse

 

It all started on the Hogwarts Express. Ron had headed to the restroom, leaving Harry to breathe a sigh of relief. Hermione looked at him kind of strangely, but he didn't care. He couldn't help but remember Ron's (his best friend in the entire world) face when he had told him the truth about that he'd realized about himself a week before summer ended.

When he had admitted that he was gay, Ron- the one person he'd expected to stick with him no matter what- had looked at him with an expression of utter disgust. It had passed in merely a moment, leaving a normal-looking Ron behind with his trademark grin on his face, but Harry hadn't been able to get that image out of his head ever since. His last week at the Burrow had been spent mostly with the twins and, surprisingly, Hermione, except for meals which he spent with everyone. Ron and he hadn't seen too much of each other during that time except for right before bed as they shared a room.

But now, on the train, Ron had seemed to have changed back into Harry's best bud, laughing, joking, and acting as if nothing was wrong between them. Hermione had raised an eyebrow at the change (she was the brightest witch of her age, she couldn't miss their strange changes in attitude), but for once hadn't said anything about it. Harry had been happy (a bit, at least), but he felt like something fundamental had shifted between them.

Then Ron had headed off to the restroom, and that was when moments later Draco Malfoy of all people had slid into their compartment, his ever-present bulky guards of Crabbe and Goyle noticeably absent from his side. His grey eyes were bloodshot, and his normally pristine blond hair was mussed a bit- not much, but for Malfoy it was as glaring a change as if Harry had cut his hair into a mohawk and died it green.

Malfoy nodded curtly at Hermione, who was sitting by the window, before plopping down, moving without his usual grace, on the seat across from Harry. Without introduction or explanation, he asked, "Tell me, Potter, what do you know about the _affectus abscondere_ curse?"

Harry had never heard of it before, but from the sound of Hermione's gasp, apparently she had. "That's an Unmentionable, Malfoy," She said, leaning forward, "It's as Dark as an Unforgivable. How in the name of Merlin's wand do you know that one?"

"Because, Granger," Malfoy said somewhat testily, a bit of the old Malfoy coming back, "I've been put under it every month for the past three years, as well as magic suppressing charms, and I just managed to break it five minutes ago with the help of my godfather, who is the _only damn adult"_  His hands hands were clenched into fists in his lap, fingers pulled so tightly against his palms that his knuckles turned white. "I've been put under the charge of in the past year who hasn't cursed or tortured me. Sure, half of them were probably Imperiused, but it still hurts!" Draco was literally trembling with suppressed emotion.

Harry, for his part, was bewildered. This was _Draco Malfoy_ they were talking about here- why was he even here, spilling this Dark secret to Harry Potter, his biggest enemy. Harry could tell the Slytherin was upset about this- he would be too, if magical suppressors were used on him- but that didn't explain what the curse was or, once again, why he was telling Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

But none of these questions actually exited Harry's mouth. Instead, "What is the _affectus abscondere_?" popped out.

"Combination of a mind control and personality-changer," Hermione said, what was probably the textbook definition coming out, "It takes the parts of your personality that a person wants emphasized and brings them to the front, hiding every other urge behind a wall in your mindscape." Her eyes flicked to Draco. " I'm thinking that someone took all of Draco's worst, most prejudiced thoughts and brought those out while squashing down any kinder thoughts he might have had. The Malfoy we've known is merely a caricature of the real Draco, certain bits exaggerated for the sake of appearances. The only question is why?"

"I'll tell you why, Granger," He growled, "it's because my father and his friends are bastards who don't want me being friends with _the great Harry Potter_!" 

He whipped towards Harry, all trembling and exhaustion momentarily gone. There was a slightly crazed look in his grey eyes, but Harry got the sense that it was one born of desperation rather than anger. "Our first conversation in Flourish and Blotts- that was real. Sure, I was acting like a stupid eleven-year-old git, but it was _real_. As soon as I got home my father cursed me, and someone's been keeping me under it ever since. I've been trapped in this body, wanting yet not wanting to say every word that's come out of my mouth, do everything that my body's done. It was all I could do not to go insane with that happening. Asking to be your friend in that second conversation, aboard the train, was the last plea I got out after the curse took effect. It was the last true thing I got to say- everything else I said after that point, every insult and every slander, was the curse pulling out my deepest, darkest thoughts."

Then Draco took a deep breath, bowing his head, and did something Harry never thought he'd live to see. Draco Malfoy _apologized_.

"I'm sorry, Potter. I never meant to cause such pain."

Harry did not know how to respond. First Ron had turned into a git and now Draco Malfoy was laying himself vulnerable before his enemies, asking for help (at least that's what Harry thought he was doing- his brain was acting kind of sluggish at the moment)- what next, would Voldemort come back from the dead, develop pink sparkly fairy wings, and join the opera?

But Harry was spared from answering by the timely arrival of Ron, back from the loo.

As soon as his eyes alighted on Draco, Ron snarled, a strange yet familiar expression to see on Ron's face. "What's the bloody snake doing in here?"

Harry looked up at his old friend, and saw a look not of righteous anger as the Ron Harry used to know might have had, but rather of pompous irritation, as if Draco was a bug that was in his way. He looked down at Draco with that familiar expression on his face and Harry realized with a shock that it mirrored the face of Draco when he was Malfoy, an enemy, rather than whatever he was now.

Harry stood up, frustration pounding through him. "He came to ask me a question, _Ronald_ , nothing more, and unlike _you_ he didn't insult someone the first moment he stepped in here."

Ron's lips twisted into a sneer. "That's because he's just trying to worm his way in here. He's just trying a different tactic this year."

Harry knew Malfoy had not been lying. He had known the look in Malfoy's eyes as he'd confessed his story- it was the look Harry saw in his own eyes every time he looked in the bathroom mirror at the Dursleys', one of defeat. Anger swept through his veins as he looked at his old best friend. "Never heard you say something that intelligent before."

Ron just looked at Harry in disgust, then turned on his heel and left, but not without the last word "I always knew you were a snake at heart. I only did it for the money anyway."

 _Did what for the money?_ Harry wondered, but then it hit him. His knees went out from underneath of him and fell onto the seat next to Malfoy with a thump. "He was my friend...for money? Am I really that bad of a friend?"

Hermione set down her book, marking the page, and moved over to sit on Harry's other side. "Of course not, Harry. He's just a righteous git."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so how was the first chapter of the actual storyline? Absolutely horrible? Oh, I thought so too.  
> Any fans?

**Author's Note:**

> Please give kudos and leave comments if you like it so far, or just leave constructive criticism if you don't. I appreciate any and all comments and reviews, as long as they're not rude.
> 
>  
> 
> Should I continue?


End file.
